Gelati Recipe

Warm milk and cream

Combine whole milk and 3/4 of the heavy cream in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat just until small bubbles form at the edge and steam rises (do not boil).

Whisk yolks and sugar

While the milk warms, whisk the egg yolks with the granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.

Temper the yolks

Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Continue adding another 1/2 cup in a thin stream until about one-third of the warm milk has been incorporated.

Cook custard

Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not boil.

Finish base

Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream, the pinch of fine sea salt, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. If using a vanilla bean, split it, scrape the seeds into the base before warming and add the pod while warming; remove the pod before tempering.

Strain and chill

Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits (and vanilla pod). Cool to room temperature, then cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight until thoroughly cold.

If using vanilla bean only: add seeds to milk at the warming stage (see Finish base). If using extract: after custard is cooked and strained, stir in 1 tsp pure vanilla extract. Chill as directed in base. Churn the cold custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions until a soft, creamy gelato texture is reached (typically 20–30 minutes). Transfer to a container, smooth the top, cover, and freeze 2–4 hours to firm slightly before serving.

Prepare espresso and let it cool. After the custard is cooked and strained, stir in the cooled espresso and 2 tsp marsala (or coffee liqueur). Taste and adjust—if you prefer stronger coffee flavor, add up to 2 more tsp espresso (reduce a bit of base liquid if needed). Chill thoroughly. Churn in an ice cream maker per manufacturer instructions until soft-set. During the last 5 minutes of churning, add the ladyfinger crumbs if using. Transfer half of the churned gelato to a container, dust with a little unsweetened cocoa powder and swirl or layer remaining gelato on top; sprinkle more cocoa and freeze 3–4 hours to firm before serving.

Make the caramel: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 1/2 cup granulated sugar over medium heat without stirring (you can gently swirl the pan). Once sugar becomes an amber caramel, remove from heat and carefully whisk in 2 tbs unsalted butter until combined. Slowly drizzle in 2 tbs heavy cream (mixture will bubble vigorously) and whisk until smooth. Stir in 1/4 tsp sea salt if making salted caramel. Let cool slightly.

After cooking and straining the custard, whisk the cooled caramel into the custard base until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust salt/sweetness. Chill the mixture thoroughly. Churn in an ice cream maker until soft-set. For a caramel ribbon: warm 1/4 cup of the caramel to a pourable consistency and drizzle into the churned gelato during the last few minutes, or layer it while transferring to container and ripple with a knife. Freeze 3–4 hours to firm before serving.

Prepare the bananas: mash very ripe bananas until smooth (or puree in a blender for very smooth texture). Stir in 1 tsp lemon juice to preserve color and 1 tsp optional banana liqueur or rum if using.

There are two options: fold mashed banana into the chilled custard base before churning (for a uniform banana gelato), or reduce milk slightly and blend mashed banana into the warm milk before tempering for a more infused banana flavor (be careful to keep custard chemistry stable). The simpler method: stir mashed banana into the cold, strained custard, then chill thoroughly.

Churn the banana-custard mixture in an ice cream maker until soft-set. If you like chunks, reserve 1/4 cup of coarsely chopped banana or chopped chocolate and add during last 5 minutes of churning. Transfer to container and freeze 2–4 hours to firm before serving.

If you used mix-ins (chocolate, nuts, cookie crumbs), fold or add them during the last 2–5 minutes of churning so they are evenly distributed without melting the gelato.

Transfer churned gelato to a shallow, freezer-safe container. Smooth the top, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals, and seal the lid. Freeze until firm but scoopable: generally 2–4 hours depending on freezer.

To serve, remove from freezer 5–10 minutes before scooping to soften slightly. Use a warmed spatula or scoop for neat portions. Garnish as appropriate: espresso-dusted cocoa for tiramisu, extra caramel drizzle and flaky salt for caramel, sliced bananas for banana, or a vanilla bean scrap for vanilla.